The fact that "The Next Generation Science Standards" ("NGSS") are standards and not curriculum (NRC 2012, p. xiv) means that while they tell teachers what to teach, they do not tell them "how" science shall be taught. Ana Houseal and Peter Ellsworth have worked with eight Wyoming school districts on the…

The word "living" is commonly used throughout elementary science lessons that focus on the biological world. It is a word teachers often take for granted when teaching life science concepts. How similar the constructed meaning of a common word like "living" is to the meaning intended by the teacher or instructional materials depends on how a…

In recent years, science has taken a backseat to reading and mathematics in many primary classrooms. Imaginative teachers have coped with this loss of science time by creatively integrating science topics into reading instructional materials (Douglas, Klentschy, and Worth 2006). In this article, the author describes an effective physical science…

Many teachers regularly use their own money during the year to pay for miscellaneous teaching materials or to help individual students in need. In this article, the author explains how to secure funds and resources for anything science teachers want to do educationally for their classroom. It's no fantasy; it's simply a matter of thinking ahead…

Have you ever played in the dirt? Repotted a plant? Planted a garden? In each and every one of these activities, you touched something that is a valuable resource in our lives--dirt! This month's column has students investigating different aspects of something that is right beneath our feet but plays an important role in the daily lives of many…

Presents a sky chart for October, 1972, and a calendar of astronomical phenomena for October, 1972 for teachers to use in planning astronomical instruction. (AL)

Reviewed are the "New Junior Encyclopedia of Science" and the "AAAS Science Book List Supplement." (BB)

Provides a photograph of a football crowd and poses several questions that could be used in instruction in mathematics and science. (AL)

Information on the solar eclipse of February 26, 1979, is presented, along with techniques for viewing eclipses. (BB)

The webs of eight North American spiders are illustrated and discussed. Using these webs, the spiders are able to catch insects for their meals. Each of the webs are unique and require a different approach to the problem of food getting. (MA)